Following the demise of the Commission for Rural Communities in England, Geoffrey Lean, Daily Telegraph writes:Its death notice, like Eleanor Rigby's,passed virtually unnoticed, achieving just one sentence in a single nationalnewspaper. And yet this week's abolition…

Housing Minister Grant Shapps has today (Tuesday 29th June) confirmed that he will take forward legislation allowing the creation of Local Housing Trusts. In a speech to the Community Land Trusts conference in London, the Minister confirmed that plans for Local Housing Trusts will be included in the forthcoming Decentralisation and Localism Bill, due to be introduced this Autumn. Local Housing Trusts would have to show they have the support of the local community for planned housing… Continue

Many thanks are due to Catherine and Bridget and Davie for their help in arranging the launch of Carnegie's Manifesto for Rural Communities at Cloughjordan on Tuesday. The wider event was well attended and I was particularly inspired by the 10 mini presentations form the Cloughjordan community highlighting their activities in construction, renewable energy, broadband provision, food production and so on. Well worth a visit if you ever have the opportunity

What is planned for rural UK?
All three major UK parties have sections of their Manifestos dedicated to ‘rural areas’. The Liberal Democrats have even published a stand alone ‘Manifesto for Farming and the Uplands’. This is perhaps not surprising as Shadow DEFRA Minister, Tim Farron, represents the large Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency with its many sheep! Shadow DEFRA Minister Nick Herbert launched a Conservative mini manifesto in July 2009 called ‘Rural Action’ which set out more… Continue

Last year our Northern Ireland Rural Spark was Paddy Glasgow. We really enjoyed meeting him when we celebrated the achievements of Rural Communities at the celebration we held at Eden. Paddy brought along some young street musicians who played in the biome at night - memorable! Paddy also organises a festival - Glasgowbury - which is attracting a lot of attention (see below)

For the second year running, Glasgowbury has been nominated in several categories at the Irish Festival… Continue

Hi everyone
We have received a number of enquiries about the weather and asking if the Convention will be affected - all is well and the Convention will go ahead as planned.

Yesterday's flooding was caused by unusual weather conditions with a front 'stuck' over Cumbria for most of the day. Kendal was not especially badly hit - the places that normally flood are in low lying places in the town but our rivers rise and fall very quickly. The Castle Green Hotel, like Oxenholme… Continue

I. Special Alert Items from November onwards
Our hectic autumn programme continues in November. On 6th November, our Rural Action Research Programme partners in the north of England will hold an event to consider the findings of the hill farming research. Tim Farron MP, Chair of the All Parliamentary group on hill farming and Shadow Minister for Countryside and Rural Affairs will provide a political perspective on the Uplands and… Continue

This Wednesday we are launching the 'Manifesto for Rural Communities - Inspiring Community Innovation' into the world. 4000 copies have arrived in the office so if you'd like your own - and they are very readable and desirable - do send us your address.

Monthly Status Reportsept09fieryspirits.docThis is the second report on what we have been up to! I'd particularly mention the forthcoming publication of 'A Manifesto for Rural Communities - inspiring Community Innovation' to be launched on October 21st at St Martin in the Fields. Thanks to all our RARP partners who… Continue

Bore da
Last week the Rural Action Research Programme roadshow rolled into Wales - to the Millennium Centre (not as I previously stated the Millennium Stadium - this one woman invasion had nothing to do with cricket!). We must extend our thanks to Voluntary Arts Wales and particularly to Sioned who did the organisation and to Ned the Bard for chairing the event with great charm.

The session kicked off with two very strong presentations from PLANED (Pembrokeshire) and Powys on… Continue